Agenda item

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the Committee be provided with additional details on Progress 8 and Attainment 8.

3.    That more information be provided on exclusions rates and details of the Alternative Education Providers (AEP) Review be provided to the Committee.

4.    That future school improvement reports include additional analysis of disadvantage groups and of pupils categorised as most able.

3.1       Kate Bond, Head of Standards and Achievement, introduced the report to the Committee and introduced Ruth Holden, Principal at Bonus Pastor College and Chair of the Secondary Heads Group. Jackie Jones, School Improvement Officer, was also in attendance for this item. In response to questions and challenge from members of the Committee, the following key points were raised.

·         Lewisham had a higher than average rate of exclusions and had therefore commissioned a review into Alternative Education Provisions (AEP) to look into this. Staff were working closely with the Pupil Referral Units to do this and they had had lots of positive engagement with schools. The findings would be closely assessed and there would be more partnership work to address the outcomes. The Children and Young People’s Select Committee would have an opportunity to scrutinise the review once completed.

·         The effects of the introduction of the Progress 8 and Attainment  8 measures for monitoring school performance were still not fully known. This new measure would be introduced following the 2016 exam results.   Additional information on the scoring system would be provided to the Committee.

·         The Education Commission was geared towards looking at delivering a longer term vision for school improvement including looking at how schools could work together at a borough-wide level.

·         The 22 percentage point improvement at Trinity Church of England School was partly down to intensive focus on intervention for individual students. They had also introduced the European Computer Driving Licence qualification option for students and a focus on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

·         Although there was no longer funding available through the “most able programme” there was still a strong focus on those children’s achievement and attainment. It appeared that progress of this group based on “Value Added” was only average and therefore more could be done. Children arriving in Year 7 having reached level 5 at primary should be expected to achieve As or A*s in GCSEs.

·         When considering data on particular groups of children’s attainment, and achievement it was important to look at an individual school level to ensure assumptions were not being made based on national trends rather than the circumstances of the particular school cohort. Although an intervention targeting a specific group such as White British Boys on Pupil Premium could be helpful, sometimes it was more important to look at an individual school/class or pupil level rather than relying on national generalisations.

·         Some Lewisham schools had had particularly sharp declines in numbers of students achieving 5 A* to Cs at GCSE including English and Maths. The School Improvement team closely monitor school performance and regularly contacted schools characterised as red or amber on the performance monitoring plan. The team would call in the Governing Bodies and Senior Leadership Teams of these schools to account for their performance. Additional reviews such as faculty reviews could also be undertaken if there was a particular area highlighted as a weakness.

·         The Education Commission was looking to meet with Councillors and Co-optees on the Children and Young People Select Committee. Dates had been sent round and Councillors were encouraged to sign up for one of the sessions. The findings from the Education Commission would come to Children and Young People Select Committee for scrutiny prior to going to Mayor and Cabinet. This was currently provisionally scheduled as being at their April meeting.

3.2       RESOLVED: That

1.            The report be noted.

2.            The Committee be provided with additional details on Progress 8 and Attainment 8.

3.            Additional information be provided on exclusion rates and details of the Alternative Education Providers (AEP) Review be provided to the Committee.

4.            Future school improvement reports include additional analysis of disadvantaged groups and of those pupils categorised as most able.